Alternate Tuesday

7.00 pm to 8.00 pm

Equip Time

MODELLING EFFECTIVE MINISTRY – A KINGDOM PATTERN

Introduction – What is Ministry?�Many years ago in the early nineties, I sat in a ministry training session when the teaching pastor said these words that etched themselves in my heart to this day; “ministry is the off-shoot of your life.” To this day, I always recall that statement and use it as a measure of my effectiveness in ministry. Whatever we do for God is simply the overflow of the oil in our lives. It is not what others make us do.

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John 15:4-8 –4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 

Gen.6: 14 –  14Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.^d Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 

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We can not bear fruit in anything we do, such as, ministering to the Lord in church, community and world unless we are connected to the source

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1. Ministry Is Built On Obedience — Not Results

Let’s Consider Noah. He had no crowds. No revival meetings. No applause. Just obedience for decades.

Gen. 6:22 “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.”

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The Hebrew construction emphasizes complete compliance – he didn’t edit God’s instruction.

Preacher’s Commentary notes that Noah’s ministry would look like failure by modern metrics – but in heaven’s books, it was perfect success.

�God measures effectiveness by faithfulness (constancy of purpose), not visibility.�

Lk.16:10;12– 10“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much

12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

Discussion Questions

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1. Would you still obey God if nobody noticed, applauded, or validated what you were doing?

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• Noah preached and built for decades without visible success. How do you stay faithful when obedience seems “unproductive”?

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• In today’s church culture, what pressures tempt leaders to choose results over obedience?

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• Can delayed results sometimes actually be proof that God is building depth in you rather than hype outside of you?

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2. Ministry Is Sustained By Endurance — Not Momentum

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Let’s look at Paul the Apostle again:

2 Cor.4:1 1Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way,a we never give up. 2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. (NLT)

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1Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy [from God, granting us salvation, opportunities, and blessings], we do not get discouraged nor lose our motivation. 2But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (AMP)

�The phrase in KJV; “faint not,” comes from Greek /enkakeō/—to grow weary, to faint inwardly. A day will come when we will have reasons to quit. People may frustrate us with discouraging words or attitudes; Satan himself will fight against us in several ways. Paul says, We “refuse to allow our inner atmosphere to faint of pull the trigger of quitting.

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Prov. 24:10 – If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.(ESV)

The Amplified Version puts it this way: f you are slack in the day of distress, your strength is limited.(AMP

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2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.(ESV)�

This is ministry maturity. We fight through many things (circumstances, spiritual opposition, attitudes from people, governments). It is not about starting strong but finishing well.

�Effective ministry is proven over time, through pressure, resistance, and perseverance.

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Discussion Questions

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1. What is the difference between spiritual endurance and merely surviving pressure?

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• What pressures attack endurance the most:
• discouragement,
• offense,
• comparison,
• fatigue,
• lack of recognition,
• spiritual warfare,
• or something else?

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• Paul said, “we do not lose heart.” What practically helps a believer guard their inner atmosphere from discouragement?

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• Have you ever gone through a season where you wanted to quit spiritually? What kept you going?

This ministry model is different from corporate leadership. I’ll call this the ‘vineyard model’ of ministry.

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A Godly Voice in Ministry (according to Jn.15)

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1. The world says: Build bigger. Jesus says: Abide deeper.
2. The world says: Push harder. Jesus says: Remain closer.
3. The world says: Measure visibility. Jesus says: Measure fruit.
4. The world says: Protect your comfort. Jesus says: Submit to pruning.
5. The world says: Make your name great. Jesus says: Glorify the Father.

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Stay Connected (according to Jn.15)

1. when fruit is small.
2. when pruning is painful.
3. when increase comes.
4. when applause comes.
5. when pressure comes.
6. when no one sees.

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A ministry that abides will bear fruits. A ministry that bears fruit will be pruned, A ministry that is prunedwill bear more fruits. A ministry that bears more fruits bring glory to the father